Interpersonal & Organizational Communication Mastering the Exchange of Information

Chapter Fifteen
McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright 2011 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Major Questions You Should Be Able to Answer

15.1 What do I need to know about the communication process to be an effective communicator? 15.2 What are the important barriers I need to be aware of, so I can improve my communication skills? 15.3 How can I use the different channels and patterns of communication to my advantage?
15-2

Major Questions You Should Be Able to Answer

15.4 How do contemporary managers use information technology to communicate more effectively? 15.5 How can I be a better listener, reader, writer, and speaker?

15-3

Communication Defined: The Transfer of Information & Understanding

Communication
the transfer of information and understanding from one person to another

81% of a managers time in a typical workday is spent communicating

15-4

How the Communication Process Works

Sender
person wanting to share information-called a message

Receiver
person for whom the message is intended

15-5

How the Communication Process Works

Encoding
translating a message into understandable symbols or language

Decoding
interpreting and trying to make sense of the message

15-6

How the Communication Process Works

Medium
the pathway by which a message travels

Feedback
the receiver expresses his reaction to the senders message

Noise
any disturbance that interferes with the transmission of a message
15-7

The Communication Process

Figure 15.1

15-8

Selecting the Right Medium

Medium richness
indicates how well a particular medium conveys information and promotes learning Rich medium
best for nonroutine situations and to avoid oversimplification

Lean medium
best for routine situations and to avoid overloading

15-9

Barriers to Communication
1. Physical barriers: sound, time, space, & so on 2. Semantic barriers: when words matter 3. Personal barriers: individual attributes that
hinder communication

15-10

Some Barriers the Happen Within the Communication Process

Table 15.1

15-11

Semantic Barriers
Semantics
study of the meaning of words

Jargon
terminology specific to a particular profession or group

15-12

Personal Barriers
Variable skills in communicating effectively Variations in how information is processed & interpreted Variations in trustworthiness & credibility Oversized egos

15-13

Personal Barriers (cont.)

Faulty listening skills Tendency to judge others messages Inability to listen with understanding Stereotypes and prejudices

15-14

Nonverbal Communication
Nonverbal communication
consists of messages sent outside of the written or spoken word Expressed through interpersonal space, eye contact, facial expressions, body movements & gestures, touch, setting and time

15-15

Toward Better Nonverbal Communication Skills

Table 15.2
15-16

Communication Differences

Table 15.3

15-17

Example: Women & Communication

There is evidence that women are superior at multitasking and better at relationships, which is important in developing teams Women are also more willing to share information

15-18

Formal Communication Channels

Formal communication channels
follow the chain of command and are recognized as official vertical, horizontal, external

15-19

Informal Communication Channels

Informal communication channels
develop outside the formal structure and do not follow the chain of command

15-20

Informal Communication Channels

Grapevine
unofficial communication system of the informal organization

Management by wandering around

term used to describe a managers literally wandering around his organization and talking with people across all lines of authority

15-21

Communication in the Information Age

Multicommunicating
represents the use of technology to participate in several interactions at the same time

15-22

Eight Norms of the Millennial or Internet Generation

Table 15.5

15-23

Digital Communication & the New Workplace

Videoconferencing
uses video and audio links along with computers to enable people in different locations to see, hear, and talk with each other Telepresence technology
high-definition videoconference systems that simulate face-to-face meetings between users

15-24

Digital Communication & the New Workplace

Benefits of Telecommuting

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Reduce capital costs Increase flexibility and autonomy for workers Provide a competitive advantage when recruiting Increase job satisfaction Increase productivity Ability to tap into nontraditional workers

15-25

Downside of the Digital Age

Security
a system of safeguards for protecting information technology against disasters, system failures, and unauthorized access that result in damage or loss

Identity theft
thieves hijack your name and identity and use your good credit rating to get cash or buy things

15-26

Protecting Against Security and Privacy Breaches on the Internet

Table 15.6
15-27

Disadvantages of E-Mail
1. 2. 3.
Has been a decrease in all other forms of communication among co-workersincluding greetings and informal conversations Emotions often are poorly communicated or miscommunicated via e-mail messages; and The greater the use of e-mail, the less connected co-workers reportedly feel.

15-28

Tips for Better E-Mail Handling

Table 15.7

15-29

Cell Phones: Use & Abuse

Cell phones are now mostly smartphones As smartphones develop more features and make available more applications, their importance will only increase

15-30

Being an Effective Listener

Judge content, not delivery Ask questions, summarize remarks Listen for ideas Resist distractions, show interest Give a fair hearing

15-31

Being an Effective Reader

Realize that speed reading doesnt work Learn to streamline reading Do top-down reading SQ3R

15-32

Learn to Streamline Reading

Be savvy about periodicals and books Transfer your reading load Make internal memos and e-mail more efficient

15-33

Top-down Reading System

Rate reasons to read Question and predict answers Survey the big picture Skim for main ideas Summarize

15-34

Being an Effective Writer

Dont show your ignorance Understand your strategy before you write Start with your purpose Write simply, concisely, and directly Telegraph your writing with a powerful layout

15-35

Being an Effective Speaker

1. Tell them what 2. 3.
youre going to say Say it Tell them what you said

15-36